23. Wednesday Sept. 3-Down the California coast

We left Arcata by 9:20 and headed into nearby Eureka to have breakfast and tour the town.

First up—the Carson Mansion. This huge Queen Anne Victorian was finished in 1898 for William Carson, a local timber and gold businessman. It is the most photographed Victorian in the US. No one is allowed inside as it is owned by a private club and that is truly unfortunate. It is a striking building with many windows of stained glass.

 Directly across the street is the “Pink Lady”, a smaller Victorian built by Mr. Carson for his son as a wedding present. It is for sale if anyone wants to buy it. Lloyd Bridges once owned it!!

We walked all throughout Old Town Eureka and discovered almost all the shops did not open until noon. Their loss. There are lots of older buildings in the town from the late 1800's and early 1900's.

Carson Mansion. WOW!

The Pink Lady across the street from the mansion

One of dozens of Victorians in Eureka

We drove through the Humboldt National Forest on the "Avenue of the Giants" and again were 'blown away' with the size of the Redwoods all around. We stopped at two of the eight auto tour stops and took short walks in the woods. The complete silence is wonderful!

Road through Humboldt Park

Another lunch in the park, this time a state park off US 1 down in the trees. This alfresco lunching I think is getting to be a habit. A good one.

Marvelous setting...again.

As we continued further south toward Petaluma, the air was very smokey. The fires of the west have generated lots of smoke, to the point were some hillsides and mountain tops were obscured.

We stopped in Fort Bragg for then night at the Beachcomer motel. Average, even though folks in a Wash. Post travel article raved about it.

Dinner was a disaster. Lee picked a fish restaurant on the wharf and the fact that no one else was eating there should have been a clue.

Off tomorrow for the final jaunt along US 1, cross the state to pick up 101, and south to Petaluma!